What exactly is the difference between a cover letter and resume? If you’re in search of a job, then you need to have both. Although both should outline your experience, skills and qualifications – they should do so differently. We’ll discuss exactly what the difference is and what to focus on in your resume vs. cover letter.
The Major Difference Between a Resume and Cover Letter
- Think of your resume as an outline of your career, and the cover letter as the description. A cover letter offers your future employer a deeper insight into who you are beyond your work history.
- Cover Letter Samples and Templates to inspire your next application. When you’re applying for a job, a cover letter lets you show a personal side and demonstrate why hiring you is a smart decision. Cover letters should be around three paragraphs long and include specific examples from your past experience that make you qualified for the position.
- Resumes and Cover Letters For Master’s Students What is the purpose of a resume? A resume is a brief, informative summary of your abilities, education, and experience. It should highlight your strongest assets and skills, and differentiate you from other candidates seeking similar positions. Although it alone will not get you a.
- Cover Letter Guidelines. Your cover letter communicates your interest, qualifications, fit, and value to a prospective employer. In other words: Why do you want me? And, why do I want you? Keep it brief and simple. Why You Want Me. Talk about why you are a match for the job.
A resume and cover letter are your marketing tools to make an impact on a potential employer and secure an interview. There are literally hundreds of books on the market with good advice about how to write effective resumes and cover letters, each with a different opinion on style and content.
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A resume is a more detailed overview of your work history which includes work experience, skills, education and other relevant information. A cover letter is a brief summary of who you are, how you’re qualified and why you’re a good fit for the position. Your cover letter is more of an introduction to your resume and should be written effectively to have a hiring manager look into your resume in more detail.
(We wrote a good post on what a good cover letter looks like here)
Another major difference between a resume and cover letter is the format.
- The cover letter is usually 3 – 4 paragraphs written in a more subjective and conversational tone.
- A resume should contain numerous sections and bullet points rather than paragraphs.
What’s Included in a Resume Vs. a Cover Letter
There is certain information that’s included on a resume that shouldn’t be on a cover letter:
Summary
Your resume should include a well written summary that highlights some of your major skills, qualifications and achievements.
Core Competencies and Skills
You should list out relevant core competencies and skills on your resume. You shouldn’t list out all your competencies and skills on a cover letter but you can include some throughout. Cisco ip phone 7945 doc.
Detailed Work History
A resume should contain a relevant and detailed work history section. Remember to mention specific accomplishments throughout the resume rather than listing job duties. There could be hundreds of other candidates and you need to show the hiring manager why you’re the best fit. This is best done through showing quantifiable achievements and how you went above and beyond expectation.
A cover letter could mention one or two major achievements, but save the specific details for your resume.
For example, on a cover letter, you could mention how you increased sales by x, but your resume would go into more detail on how you did that.
Education
Your resume should contain a detailed education section where you list degrees, schools you attended and the dates. You could briefly mention your degree and school on a cover letter.
4 Tips to Keep in Mind When Writing a Resume Vs. a Cover Letter
Resume And Cover Letter
#1 – Repetitive
Don’t repeat your resume word for word on a cover letter. Use a more conversational tone and mix it up a bit. Your cover letter is about telling the employer who you are, how you’re qualified and why you’re the best fit. Save specific details for your resume.
#2 – Keep Your Cover Letter Short
Resume And Cover Letter Tips
Your cover letter should be 3 – 4 paragraphs long and never go past 3/4 of a page. Again, save the details for your resume and keep your cover letter short, concise and relevant.
#3 – Make a Good Impression
Blank Resume Templates Free Printable
The cover letter may be the first impression you have on an employer. Make sure you utilize captivating language and speak in a friendly tone. Mention the position you’re applying to, how you’re qualified, major achievements from previous positions and a call to action. The call to action in this situation would be an invite for an interview.
#4 – Subjective
The cover letter should contain more subjective information than a resume. You could mention certain things that you simply couldn’t on a resume. You could mention how you found the position, why you’re passionate about that position or industry and a more subjective explanation of why you’d make a good fit.
The cover letter is a good way to add a more human touch to the application. The cover letter allows you to tell a short story of why you deserve the job, where a resume is a more detailed and direct outline of your experience, skills and other information.
Good luck with your job search!